UK MOD Launches a New Approach to Acquiring Missiles and Guided Weapons

Released on Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A new approach to purchasing missiles and guided weapons has taken a step forward with the launch by Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Baroness Taylor of an Assessment Phase for the Team Complex Weapons programme. Royal Navy Merlins

Team Complex Weapons - an innovative partnering between industry and the Ministry of Defence - was launched at the Farnborough Air Show today, Tuesday 15 July 2008.

Complex Weapons are tactical weapons reliant upon guidance systems to achieve precision effects. Tactical Complex Weapons fall largely into five categories: Air-to-Air; Air Defence; Air-to-Surface; Anti-Ship/Submarine (including Torpedoes); and Surface-to-Surface.

Alongside a Teaming Agreement with all of the Team Complex Weapons members, two contracts have been placed with MBDA (UK) Ltd and Thales UK to develop six Complex Weapons projects within the Assessment Phase, worth around £74 million for the first year. These include:

Indirect Fire Precision Attack Loitering Munition (MBDA-led with Team Loitering Munition);

100kg weapon family to meet first the Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (heavyweight) requirement for Royal Navy helicopters (MBDA);

Light weapon family to meet first the Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (lightweight) requirement (Thales UK);

50kg weapon family to meet the Selected Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) requirement for fast jets and helicopters (MBDA);

The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile family to meet first the requirement for a Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) for the Type 23 frigate and the Future Surface Combatant (MBDA); and

An upgrade programme for Storm Shadow, currently used on the Tornado GR4 (MBDA).

The Assessment Phase will allow the Team Complex Weapons (CW) companies to assess the innovative concepts that they have been developing and test how they work together, and, working with the Ministry of Defence, to develop and produce the UK's military requirements for the next generation of missiles and guided weapons for our Armed Forces. HMS Montrose

This approach with Team CW, which also involves QinetiQ Ltd and Roxel (UK Rocket Motors) Ltd, marks a shift from individual bespoke contracts to one based on innovation, flexibility and evolution. It aims to result in fewer weapon types that are more adaptable and better able to meet the Armed Forces' requirements in an increasingly changing world.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor, said:

"The launch of the Assessment Phase is a significant milestone in our work with Team Complex Weapons. We are embarking on an innovative approach to purchasing our next generation of missiles and guided weapons. Team CW will help to maintain the UK's key skills and technologies in missile development and protect our operational sovereignty in this sector for the future."

Rear Admiral Amjad Hussain, Director General Weapons for MOD, added:

"The concept offers the potential to bring new technologies to the front line more quickly than in the past and for these to be adapted to meet new threats through technology insertion and flexible production. Through the Teaming Agreement and the enabling contracts for the six projects, Team CW has been offered the opportunity to demonstrate its capability to work in a different manner and develop a range of products which can meet the MOD's current Complex Weapons requirements and, importantly, can be adapted readily for those in the future."

Team CW is a grouping led by MBDA (UK) Ltd, and includes the MOD, Thales UK, Roxel (UK Rocket Motors) Ltd and QinetiQ Ltd.

Today's announcement follows the statement in July 2006 which signalled a new approach to fulfilling the UK's military requirement for Complex Weapons in response to the Defence Industrial Strategy, published in December 2005, which outlined the need to retain UK operational sovereignty.

The Assessment Phase includes the two contracts with MBDA (UK) Ltd and Thales UK, and a linked and legally-binding Teaming Agreement, which has been signed by all of the Team CW members, and which will be used to refine and test the Team CW model.

Steve Wadey, Team CW Industrial Chairman and Managing Director of MBDA UK, which leads the Team CW grouping, said:

"The prospect of being able to better understand the MOD's capability requirements through this partnering aids both industry and government immeasurably, particularly in terms of effective and efficient future investment and planning decisions.

"This Assessment Phase will initiate a radical transformation of the sector through the launch of these six new projects which are central to the future military capability of the UK and the long term future of the industry. Both the Assessment Phase and the Teaming Agreement between the MOD and industry will also show that the Team CW concept of more agile and effective delivery of Complex Weapons can work effectively and beneficially for both parties."